NY Outdoors

Friday, July 3, 2009

New World Record Largemouth Bass

Japanese angler Manabu Kurita has possibly broken the 77 year long record of George Perry's 22lb 04oz largemouth. News first broke to Optimum Baits CEO Matt Paino yesterday at 2:00am. He was called by what looks like the previous Japanese record holder Kazuya Shimada.

Kazuya Shimada set the Japanese record of 19-15lbs caught in April 2003 from Lake Ikehara. It fell prey to an Optimum swimbait.

Manabu Kurita is on the Pro-Staff for Deps which is one of the companies Paino represents in the USA. Paino also represents Ima, Zappu and Vagabond.

Manabu Kurita caught the giant 20lb+ monster using live bait around 12:00pm. The bass is 28.94" and weighs 22lbs 5ozs. The bass was caught at Lake Biwa.

Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan, covering roughly 259 square miles. Lake Biwa is more than 300 feet deep and known for its crystal clear waters.

According to IGFA regulations for record fish weighing less than 25 pounds (such as all of the black bass subspecies), the replacement (record applicant) must weigh at least two ounces more than the existing record. The Japanese fish that is subject of such interest and inquiry today outweighs Perry's fish by less than an ounce.

This means it will be considered a tie in the record books if and when it is certified by the IGFA.

2 comments:

IGFA receives documentation, photos on pending world record largemouth bass caught in JapanWeight matches current IGFA record held for 77 years by Georgia's George Perry

Manabu Kurita hold his (pending) World Record Largemouth Bass.DANIA BEACH, Fla. USA, (September 15, 2009) --- Documentation for amuch talked about 22 lb 4 oz largemouth bass, caught from Japan'slargest lake in July, has arrived into the International Game FishAssociation (IGFA) headquarters for world record recognition.

Late Monday, the IGFA, the 70-year old non-profit fisheriesconservation, education and record-keeping body, received theapplication for the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), caughtJuly 2, by Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan. IGFA rules for fishcaught outside the U.S. allows anglers 90 days to submit theirapplications from the date of their catch.

IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said the World All-Tackleapplication is currently under review after it was received through theJapan Game Fish Association (JGFA).

Schratwieser said the application stated the bass weighed 10.12 kg (22lbs 4 ozs) and was pulled from Lake Biwa an ancient reservoir northeastof Kyoto. Photos and video were also submitted with the writtendocumentation.

Kurita's fish would tie the current record held for over 77 years byGeorge Perry caught on Georgia's Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, nearJacksonville, Georgia.

In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tacklerecord, is considered by millions of anglers as the "holy grail" offreshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry'srecord.

Largemouth bass have also been introduced in many countries and inJapan fisheries officials consider it an invasive species. In addition,because bass are not native and are stocked in Japan, many speculatedthat the big bass was a sterile triploid. However when biologists inJapan examined the ova of the big female they concluded that the fishwas not triploid.

IGFA World Records Coordinator Becky Wright reported Kurita's fishmeasured 27.20 inches in length and an almost equal girth of 26.77inches. She said Kurita was using a blue gill as live bait trollingthrough a canal.

A decision by the IGFA of whether Kurita's fish will tie Perry's record may take up to a month.

"We have a formal relationship with our sister organization, the JapanGame Fish Association where they first collect and review recordapplications for fish caught in Japan," said Schratwieser. "It worksout well because they not only translate applications but can alsocontact the angler if more documentation is needed.

"We still have a number of questions to ask them and Kurita regardinglocal laws and the area he caught it in while he was trolling through acanal on the lake," said Schratwieser.

"We hope to make an announcement in three to four weeks."

Annually the IGFA publishes a comprehensive list of current records onnearly 1100 species of fresh and saltwater fish across the globe in itshighly acclaimed World Record Game Fishes (WRGF) book which is dividedinto all-tackle, line classes, fly, and junior record categories.

The IGFA has been recognized as the official keeper of world saltwaterfishing records since its founding in 1939. In 1978 it added the fieldof freshwater record-keeping when Field & Stream magazinetransferred its 68 years of records to the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame& Museum, the association's world headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla.

The IGFA is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservationof game fish and promotion of responsible, ethical angling practicesthrough science, education, rule making and record keeping. IGFAmembers are located in over 125 countries and territories. The IGFAwelcomes visitors to its interactive Fishing Hall of Fame & Museumin Dania Beach, Florida.

Photos in the gallery and full article in the world record bass section

Congratulations to Manabu Kurita. He is a true trophy hunter dedicated to the pursuit of world record bass like no other. I am proud to say that in the past year he has become one of my closest friends, Another person who helps him a great deal but receives no real credit is Reika Ishaguro who designs his website, communicates his thoughts and wishes to me and others, and also is a great angler in her own right. Manabu and Reika are good friends and you can talk with both of them at my website at Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass. http://delawaretrophybass.comTight lines, and best of luck to all trophy hunters the world over on the next world record. Steve Owner

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